Trucker in propane spill drove too fast, UHP says

The truck driver who rolled his semitrailer, causing a propane leak that forced thousands to evacuate their homes last week, was driving too fast, police said Wednesday.

Prosecutors were still screening charges against the man, who has not been identified, following the Friday crash at the merge of Interstate 80 and Interstate 215, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Robert Nixon said.

"He was taking the ramp and was traveling too fast to negotiate the turn," Nixon said.

The semi rolled, and the tanker was punctured, causing a propane leak that forced about 8,000 people out of their homes.

The Highway Patrol cited the driver "for lane travel" violations, but investigators spent at least part of the day Wednesday looking into the possibility that the driver was distracted when the tanker rolled, Nixon said.

Troopers found a cache of pornographic magazines inside the truck, he said, but they did not appear to play a factor in the crash.

"There's nothing to indicate he was distracted while driving," Nixon said.

While prosecutors continued to screen charges, the UHP also was beginning to look at ways to improve driver safety on the east-side interchange, where a number of serious accidents have occurred, Nixon said.

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